Man remanded in custody after woman's death

A 34-year-old man was remanded in custody when he appeared in Auckland District Court today following the discovery of a woman's body in a block of flats last night.

The man, whose name was suppressed, entered no plea to a charge of common assault and was remanded for another court appearance on Wednesday.

Police launched a homicide investigation after finding the body of a 32-year-old woman in one of eight units in a Mt Eden block of flats.

Auckland City police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the man and woman were Indian and it was believed that the woman had no family in New Zealand.

A post-mortem examination was being carried out to determine the cause of death. Neighbours said yesterday they heard a loud, unusual bang just before 5pm.

The death sparked the third homicide investigation in New Zealand since Wednesday last week.

Officers investigating the murders of Mona Morriss in Marton and Tania McKenzie in Wanganui were sharing information to see if the two killings are linked.

- NZPA